


On Coffee and cheesecake.

by Pizzama8



Series: Recovery [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M, Feelings Jams, Gen, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-07
Updated: 2013-10-07
Packaged: 2017-12-28 18:58:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/995382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pizzama8/pseuds/Pizzama8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat and Kanaya talk about Karkats life over cheesecake and coffee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Coffee and cheesecake.

Outside it snowed, each unqiue crystal floated gently on the breeze and hit the ground with as much impact as a feather; they piled high in the street leaving a layer of snow a foot deep.

People struggled to and fro in the weather; forcing their way through and across the whitened ground. 

A cafe sits on a small little corner; filled with friends and couples and families all seeking shelter from the winter weather. Both humans and trolls are there and they are served by one olive blooded troll with an inclination towards cats. She moves forwards and backwards amongst the customers in her black skirt and white shirt, taking orders and delivering cake or coffee or tea.

It was christmas and once again she was alone; a feeling she was used to by now. It was habit to push her loneliness to the back of her mind and throw herself into her job.

"I can't help it Kanaya!"

A young troll's voice carries through the restuarant but doesn't stop the regular chatter of the other customers; he'd been here frequently enough that his loud demeanor did not phase anyone.

Today he was accompanied by another,  female troll, at least she was female by human standards. Trolls had no use for genders. She walked upright and with grace whilst he seemed to stalk and advance, her face was a picture of calm serenity whilst his was a cocktail of fear; anger and sadness.

They found a spare table and sat down immediately, speaking in hushed conversation.

"I'm just saying that given your past experiences and your recent misadventures in the romantic department that, maybe, you would benefit from spending christmas with someone."

"Kanaya, I appreciate your concern but I say good riddance; she obviously cared so fucking little for me that she'd run off with my best friend. They can go and fuck a hoofbeast for all I care."

He sat back and crossed his arms; his eyes narrow as he tries and fails to meet her steady gaze. The gaze that says "I'm not putting up with any of your bullshit." the famous Maryam gaze of which all were powerless.

"It's not healthy to spend this time of the year alone."

"There is no need to fucking worry okay, none. I'm fine now, i'm taking the god damn drugs that the douche bag of a doctor told me to take. Everything is fine and fucking dandy for me."

"Show me your wrists."

The boy, Karkat. Who is dressed in a bright red coat and who radiates fury and anger the same way in which a sun radiates light; visibly shrinks at the prospect.

For now the waitress keeps her distance; she knows what sort of conversation that is and she doesn't want to eavesdrop on something so personal.

Kanaya takes his gray skinny hands in her own pale white ones and examines them; there deeply etched in the skin is a single scar.

"Remember when I found these? You were sprawled out on the floor in your own blood. I thought you were dead! Really dead, I was scared Karkat. You owe it to me not to do that again."

He pulls his hand away and plays with the wrist nervously, glancing around and taking the chance to wave the waitress over; she prances over with a smile on her face.

"Hey Nepeta, I'll have the cheesecake and Kanaya will have... ?"

"Coffee, strong please."

Nepete notes the orders and the table number and nods enthusiastically before walking away.

"Your order will be with your shortly!"

She gives herself a mental pat on the back for not using cat puns. She knows how Karkat hates them.

"Just because I tried it once doesn't mean I'm dumb enough to try that shit again. It was just because it was my first year since I walked in on them; i'm fuckin fine, honest."

"No you're not; you said that last time and you ended up in hospital. You were smart enough to call me before trying to commit suicide and I'm not waiting to find out if you'll try it again!"

They glare at each other for a while, Karkat relents when their order arrives, he thanks Nepeta and tries to smile. The last thing he needed was another person worrying about his health. 

"Why did you call me out here anyway?"

"It's a nice place to eat and drink and talk."

"Yes but why here? I mean it's not that I don't like this place. The food's nice and the waitress is pretty but this seems rather public to be having a feelings jam."

"Is that what we're having? Silly me I thought we were just talking about your almost death and how I don't want my christmas to be ruined for the second year in a row."

"Kanaya..."

Karkat pleads, she just keeps up a ferocious glare.

"If you must know, me and Rose were planning on having a christmas dinner with a few people you may know. Namely Vriska and John, Aradia and Sollux and Dave and Jade. You're welcome to join us but you have to bring a date. It's a couples thing,Rose insisted."

"Nothing personal but isn't it a fucking idiotic idea to invite the single guy with suicidal tendencies to a "couples only" Christmas dinner?"

"That's why we're here."

Karkat gazed around the diner, he took a forkful of cheesecake as he surveyed the area. Everyone was taken or a child. He turned back to Kanaya with a confused expression and she simply smirked.

Nepeta was across the room serving two assholes who were giving her a hard time; the phrase "are you on the menu?" was heard and Karkat felt like bashing a few heads together.

"Anyone take your fancy?"

"Fuck you Kanaya and your bullshit. It wouldn't work and she deserves better; she's all cute and cuddley and I'm..."

"Abrasive, rude and hostile?"

"Exactly."

"I think maybe you are too hard on yourself sometimes, and besides it can't be worse than spending another christmas alone right?"

He looked nervously back at Nepeta who caught him staring and gave a little wave. He waved meekly back and muttered just loud enough for Kanaya to hear.

"This is a terri-fucking-bal idea."

"What's wrong with Nepeta? You just said she was pretty. I never understood your apprehension towards dating her?"

"She's too perfect Kanaya, look at her. She's hot, smart and always happy and I'm over here being miserable, angry and struggling to pay rent. With Terezi I was on equal footing, I had no doubts about whether or not she deserved me. If I was with Nepeta I'd be constantly worrying that she might grow wise and realise what an angry waste of space I can be."

He looks to Kanaya for a reaction but she seems deep in thought. She smiles at Karkat and rests her head on her hands whilst he finishes his food. 

"Karkat, stop. Please the constant denial of having any redeeming qualities is getting old. No-one who knows you believes you're as much of an asshole as you do. Ask her out by the end of today, think of it as your last chance to be happy."

"That's one hell of a fucking ultimatum."

She simply carries on with that same sly smile she had before. She reaches a delicate hand into her purse and withdraws enough money to pay for her coffee.

"I'll be leaving now, here's the money to pay for my bit. Just think about what I've said. Maybe if you gave yourself and her a chance things might not be as awful as you think."

Karkat just takes one final angry bite of cheesecake and glares at her as she leaves, she gives a tiny little wave of her hand and exits.

Karkat is left with a cold, unfinished coffee where his moirail had been sat. Finally after five minutes Nepeta came over with a receipt and a smile. 

As she leaves he decides that being alone on christmas sucks and being alone and depressed is not a risk he feels like taking again. In his experience it's easier to be depressed when surrounded by friends.

" Hey Nepeta!"

"Hmm?"

He pauses and the words catch a little in his throat but then again what has he got to lose.

"There's this thing going on at Rose and Kanaya's house and I was wondering if..."


End file.
